Chapter 20
ATTENTION! :
The chapter below and the chapter after this one are very important! A lot is happening and we've reached the climax of the book! You really don't want to miss them so ensure to read them thoroughly.
Enjoy!
***
I rolled to the side of my bed, being met with nothing but mountains of blankets.
"Ace? "
I waited but there was no answer.
"Aceee? " I dragged a little louder than before, but still no answer.
There was a light throb in my head, and I slowly opened my eyes. I had to squint as the light beamed through the slightly opened curtains, and I saw that it was no doubt around ten in the morning.
I dragged myself to my bathroom and grabbed a few pills to ease my pain, then I proceeded to cleanse my mouth. I dared myself to meet my gaze in the mirror, and I actually flinched at the sight of my own face.
Sad, I know.
My face was pale, my eyes were puffy and my hair was everywhere. So, I attempted to tame my messy locks and applied some witch hazel to my eyes to reduce the puffiness.
Going back to my room, I noticed a white card sitting on my nightstand, and I saw that it was a note from Ace.
*I've gone to do some work, but the minute you wake up just link me and I'll be there. Don't hesitate Roxy*
But of course, I hesitated.
In fact, I had a mini panic attack when I remembered how I cried for hours last night, not once uttering a word to Ace. I could feel his emotions top notch, and it was pure pain, sadness and confusion as he held me. I knew it was killing him not knowing the real reason for my breakdown, but I also knew he didn't want to upset me more by asking me what was wrong.
So he simply stayed with me, uttering sweet nothings now and then and rubbing my skin soothingly. I didn't know when I fell asleep but I'm glad I did.
What I was worried about was telling Ace what was really wrong with me. I knew I had to tell him everything, but Aiden's little stunt was never suppose to be apart of it.
I was already scared about what Ace would do when he learns the truth. Not to mention going ahead and adding another thing for him to be pissed about.
When I finally gathered enough courage to go find him instead of making him come to me, I quickly reached out to Aiden in our mindlink, but it wasn't there. He didn't shut me out or anything, he was just too far away. More than a forty miles away.
That only meant he listened to me and went home. By now dad probably knows everything.
I checked my phone and indeed, I had a ton of miss calls and messages from dad, Jane and Phillip. This was more than enough confirmation for me to know that I had to find Ace.
Guessing that the only place he would be was his office, I quickly made my way down the familiar hall. My feet felt heavier with each step and my heart beat faster by the second.
What if dad already called him?
What if something happened to Aiden?
What if Ace hates me after I tell him everything?
I pushed away the doubt that was creeping up my neck and clawing at my throat and I pushed his office door open without knocking. But again, he wasn't there.
Deciding I had no time to waste, I quickly linked him telling him that I was in his office. I also noticed that I was yet to have breakfast, which can't be healthy for the baby, so I told him to bring me an apple too.
He informed me that he was on his way, so I decided to get comfortable in his chair.
My hands got sweaty and my feet kept shaking. I also noticed that my senses were heightened more than usual: something that happens when a wolf was high on alert.
Suddenly, my eyes scanned over the folder that sat on his desk under some books. It was the half hidden word that caught my attention. Sile- , it read, so without hesitation I pulled the folder from underneath the books.
Silent Moon Pack.
My pack. It was a folder about my pack.
Of course, my curiosity got the best of me and I opened it. My breath hitched as I glanced over each document that was fastened in the folder.
I then suddenly wished I didn't come here at all. I wished I had never met Ace the way I did. In a lie.
I wished I had met him in some stupid Alpha meeting or gathering. I wished someone had caught me running pass my border into his land and brought me to him. Or I wished... anything! Anything but meeting him in my back stabbing plan to take him down.
Because the documents in front of me just proved that Ace was truly a gem, and I didn't deserve him.
The first document held a possession lease to all the land Alpha John took from my dad eighteen years ago. The second document held all the transfer information necessary, for my pack members who were held here to go back home.
The third document held information of all the services Ace was willing to offer to my dad, for the rebuilding of pack areas, and training of younger wolves who didn't have the opportunity to go to school.
And the final document was an alliance treaty, already signed and stamped by Ace. Only my father's signature was required after they would've had their meetings.
But he's my mate right? Of course he would've wanted to do all this to make me happy and willing to live with him permanently.
But oh no that wasn't the case. Why do I say I didn't deserve him? Because all of these documents were made before I met Ace. The proof was there printed in bold black numbers that we call dates.
Ace wasn't doing this for me, he was doing it because it was right and he wanted to fix the problems his father started.
And here we were, going to take something by force that he was gonna give willingly. And even more.
The door swung open, revealing Ace with a smile on his face and a tray of breakfast in his hand. And to think, I only asked him for an apple.
Again, I don't deserve this wonderful man.
His face changed from his calm sweet smile to a look of concern when he took in my teary face. I wasn't crying, I just allowed the tears to fall.
"Roxy what's wrong? "
He quickly rested the tray down and rushed to my side to hold my face, regarding me worriedly. I shook my head and tried to look anywhere but his eyes, but he kept my face put.
"Ace you're too great for me. I've never done any good thing for you and I don't deserve you and-"
"Hey hey baby look at me" he gently forced my face to his so he could look me in the eye. He sweetly placed a lingering kiss on my lips before continuing. "All you have given me from the minute I met you was pure joy inside, knowing that I've found you. And you have given me so much more than you could imagine. Now what is this all about Roxy? Why are you saying such things?"
My words got stuck in my throat as I eyed the folder that I placed back on the table. His eyes followed to where it sat and a small smile played on his lips.
"So I see you've found my surprise"
"Surprise?"
He sighed contently and place the tray full of food in front of me, before gesturing for me to sit and eat.
"Ace I can't eat right now"
He gave me a stern look. "I know you've been upset since last night, but you have to eat Roxy. You need to stay healthy and you're pregnant "
I listened to his reasoning and decided to eat the food. He then proceeded to telling me about his little surprise.
"I was never a dumb kid, so even before I became Alpha, I started looking into the case with your pack. With all the information I dug up about my pack lands, and all the information I found regarding the war, I was able to pull together everything that is rightfully your pack's. "
I sniffled through a mouth full of bacon, but Ace only rubbed my back soothingly as he continued.
"I know there's more to the war that I don't know yet, but what I do know is that I had to give back your dad what's his. My dad really had no reason keeping those people and the land. I don't know anything about their relationship, but I don't want any bad blood between us. "
"Ace"
"Let me finish. When I met you, it was just a cherry on top. It made me want to do it more and faster, so I was gonna reveal it to you when you and Aiden's four months were over. You see Roxy, I was never good with surprises, hence why I always shut you down when you asked about your pack"
Oh how I wished you had told me.
"But since you saw it two months early, I really hope it makes you happy. I know you were affected by this war as much as I was, and my dad may not have done the right thing, but I will. "
"Ace-"
He cut me off my breaking off a piece of toast and putting it in my mouth.
"Eat up sweetheart" I gave him a desperate look, but he just smiled. "I'm actually glad you found it. I hope it can cheer you up a bit from what ever happened last night. I just want you to be happy "
I took a big gulp of my orange juice and finally turned fully to him. He had an expectant look on his face, and I'm sure the sadness in my eyes confused him.
"Ace there's something I have to tell you. " I admitted desperately. He shifted on his desk as he watched me expectantly. I knew he saw that I was still upset.
"I'm listening "
"Aiden-um.. Aiden didn't give me alcohol "
"Well I kinda suspected th-"
"He gave me wolfsbane. To try and kill our baby" I blurted out.
And that my friends, was the look I has been dreading all night and morning. The look of total anger and betrayal. And the worse part was, I've barely even started.
"What!? That was the reason why he wasn't here this morning? I swear to god I'll kill him! "
I held onto his now pacing and shaking form, and gently pulled him back down to me.
"Ace I promise I'll explain everything, you just have to calm down okay? I know things about the war, things that you've been trying to find out. I don't think I could ever forgive Aiden for pulling that stunt, but I have to tell you why he might've did it. I have to tell you everything "
This seemed to get his attention, as he sat on his desk with a neutral expression on his face. My heart hurt at that.
I've seen a lot of Ace's faces. But his stern, serious or emotionless face was never directed at me. I took a deep breath and fiddled with my shirt as I started.
"When I saw Jenna, we more than talked about girl stuff. She told me a lot of things I didn't know. She answered some of my childhood questions and she revealed things to me that I never thought existed"
I glanced up from my lap to see his face pretty much the same, but it had a twinge of curiosity. He gave me a short nod, encouraging me to continue, and that I did.
I told him everything that Jenna told me, I told him the version I grew up knowing, I told him how I believed my mom was dead and I told him that the woman he saw wasn't a cousin, but my mom and the best friend of Jenna.
I then told him everything my mom told me, being sure not to leave out a single detail. And by the time I was finished with that section, he looked deep in thought.
After the longest five minutes of my life, he finally finished processing. He turned to me and my shoulders relaxed a little when I saw kindness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry you had to grow up thinking your mom was dead." He looked down and lowly cursed. "I feel like I could've done something. Once I was old enough to understand I could've -"
"No Ace!" He was totally caught off-guard when I jumped up and cut him off. His face held shock and I couldn't help the warm liquid that once again found it's way down my cheeks.
"You can't blame yourself for this. Please don't blame your self. This was all my dad and even knowing the truth I still have this stupid loyalty welled up in my heart for the bastard. Gosh forgive me Ace"
"Roxy I don't understand "
I muffled a sob in my hand as my heart churned for the millionth time in 24 hours.
"Aiden and I didn't come here to train Ace" I finally found the voice to say.
He stood up and moved closer to me with confusion written all over his perfect face.
"What do you mean? "
"I'm a fully trained wolf Ace" I whispered, though I knew he heard. To say he was shocked was an understatement.
"I probably can't win you in a fight, but on any day I could take you down with a few broken bones. Aiden is just the same. We've been training since we turned 16"
"So if you're fully trained, why did you come here to trained? "
I tried to blink back a few tears as the words got stuck in my throat.
"We-"
"Hold on"
He held up a finger as his eyes glazed over, indicating that he was communicating with someone. I slowly watched as his face ranged on a scale of surprise, anger, panic, determination and finally, a look I knew too well, Alpha mode.
His eyes quickly snapped to me, and in two seconds he was in front of me gripping my face.
"Roxy I know this is very important, but I have to go. There was a breach in our border and I hear it's over two hundred wolves. I know for sure this isn't a surprised party so I need you do stay here okay? I'll get some extra men to guard the house just don't come outside okay?"
I was barely processing the words when he went to a fuze box looking thing and pushed a big red button. On the outside I could hear a loud alarm going off, and wolves were scattering to their respective homes.
"Ace what's wrong? " I started to panic as I saw him move around swiftly doing a million things at a time.
"It looks like someone is raging war on us baby girl. And you are staying far from it. " He quickly did something on his computer as he muttered to himself.
"How did they even get pass my border patrol? The area that they entered from would've been impossible to find "
And that's when it hit me.
That was when my whole stomach felt like it was falling out to the point where I doubled over and held it. Ace was still busy on his computer and so he didn't see my reaction.
I reached for Aiden in our mindlink, and of course just as I expected, he was in linking range.
"Aiden! "
I knew he heard me but he said nothing.
"Aiden!! "
I tried again, but still nothing.
"Look! I'm not really in the mood for talking either brother, but you have to stop this! Call it off now please! "
"I'm sorry Roxy"
And with that, he was gone, completely blocking me from his mind.
I recovered when Ace jumped up from his chair and started heading for the door, not before gripping me to his side first.
"Ace! Ace you have to listen to me. I have to go down there" This obviously caught his attention, as he stopped abruptly to face me.
"Are you crazy? No way am I making my pregnant mate go into a war zone. Fully trained or not "And with that, he started moving again.
"Ace listen to me! That's my pack and my dad. It's Aiden and I faults why they are here"
"What? " He asked as he slowed down.
"Aiden and I were sent here to spy on you, get information from your files and help my dad strategize an attack plan."
And so, he stopped again. But this time he wasn't holding me anymore. He was already six feet away from me, ogling me with utter pain and disbelief. My eyes started to water again as I tried to approach him.
"Ace I'm so-"
"Ryan will be taking you to the safe house. A few more of my men will join you shortly. Just stay with him in there and don't come out" His voice was monotone and sharp as he spoke, and he didn't even look at me.
Before I could even hear what he said properly, he was moving again.
"Ace wait I have to come"
"I said no Roxy! " His voice bellowed through the hall and I had to shrink back into the wall. He clenched his jaw and balled his fists as he kept his eyes shut.
"When I get back" he started in a calmer tone, "we'll talk. But I cannot do this right now. I'm already late and my pack is in danger."
"Ace please just let me come "
"Roxy.. " he warned lowly, and an involuntary whimper escaped my lips at it.
Even in his angry state he still had the heart to look concerned for a split second, but once he saw that I was staying put, he turned and left without a glance back.
I slid down against the wall and buried my face in my knees as sobs raked my body.
I really hoped this wouldn't had happened; and two months early at that. I knew that Aiden got enough information for them to attack, but I had still hoped that I could fix it in time.
Now I have a mission crazed brother, probably disappointed father, angry mate and deep self hatred for myself.
"Roxy?"
My head quickly snapped up in hopes that is was Ace, but I sighed when I saw that it was only Ryan. For the first times since I met him, he gave me a sympathetic look and offered me his hand to pull me up.
"I'm sorry this had to happen, but we have to go" I simply nodded and followed close behind him down the stairs.
My eyes flickered to front door, then to Ryan's retreating back in the opposite direction. With a gulp of courage, I wiped my eyes and with all on my might, I ran to the front door, opened it and threw myself out.
"Roxy! " I heard Ryan call after me as I bolted down the driveway and onto the dirt road. The wind rushed passed me in a mocking melody, and I pumped my legs to go faster each second.
"Roxy! "
Sorry Ryan, but I have to get down there. And you would have to catch me, fight me then tie me to a post with silver if you want me to stay put.
And quite frankly, I don't see that happening today. Or any day at that.